Main check-valve for steam-boilers.



7 0 9 l Y L U J D E m N E T A P S S A E N .K L S MAIN CHECK VALVE FOR S TEAM BOILERS.

APPLICATION FILED D3019. 1903.

w/m/fssssf m/v TOR M %M%A UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

STRIGKLAND L. KNEASS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WILLIAM SELLERS & COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 9, 1907.

Application filed December 29,1903. Serial No. 187,057-

TO all whom it may conccm:

Be it known that I, STRICKLAND L. KNEAss, of the city and county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Main Check-Valves for Steam-Boilers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to check valves for locomotive and for stationary boilers, and may be used in connection with either injectors or pumps.

It is necessary that all steam boilers should have an automatic device to prevent out flow of water and steam when the feed supply is stopped, and a self closing valve is used for this purpose. Owing to the passage of foreign matter, such as sand, silt or lime, into the boiler with the feed water, the proper action of the valve is liable to interruption and it then occurs that either the valve does not open at the proper time or that it does not close against its seat. Unless such conditions can be speedily relieved the [ire under the boiler must be drawn, causing serious delay and inconvenience. It is therefore a frequent practice to place a globe valve or cock in the feed pipe in addition to the check valve, in order to supply a safety device in case the main check valve does not operate; but such device is cumbersome and costly, besides occupying considerable space.

It has also been proposed, in a casing provided with a side inlet and an outlet separated by a partition, to provide an opening in the casing, under or opposite the partition, that is closed by a cap that carries the seat for the check valve, and a stop valve seated on the parti tion between the check valve and the outlet and upon which the check valve is guided. This arrangement has the advantage of enabling the check valve and seat therefor, in case of injury, to be removed for repair without disturbance of the casing or removal of the feed pipe, but it is seriously defective in that it is impossible to maintain a tight joint at both the cap and valve seat and also in that it is impossible to remove the cap without also removing the seat for the check valve and also that it is impossible to remove the stop valve without removing the guide for the check valve.

My invention has for its object to remedy the defects in the last named structure; and to this end our invention consists, in a casing provided with an outlet, a side inlet, a partition, an opening opposite the inlet side of the partition, and a stop valve seated on the outlet side of the partition, of a removable seat for the check valve engaging the partition from the inlet side thereof and upon which the check valve is guided, and a separate cap removably engaging the opening, constructed and arranged substantially as hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings which accompany and form part of of a main check valve embodying my improvements; Fig. 2 is a'vertical part section of the same valve at right angles to the view shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a part ection on the line X Y at right angles to the axes of the valve.

A is the main valve casing attached to the boiler by means of a flange a seating upon the ball joint (1; or a screw shank may be substituted for the flange if desired; B is the side inlet; O the outlet.

D is the partition which separates the inlet opening B from the outlet opening 0 of the casing.

E is the check valve and F is its removable seat.

G is the stop valve seating on the partition D.

H is a cap in the bottom wall of the casing and under the check valve, of sufficient diameter to permit the removal of the seat F of the check valve.

J is a threaded stem operating the stop valve G; K is a stutling box to prevent leakage from the boiler around the stem .I L is the fixed nut for the stem J.

The check valve E rests upon the removable seat F secured to the partition D and is provided with a stem E and narrow guide wings E,-preferably four. The removable seat F is threaded in the partition D and provided with arms f f f f, Figs. 1 and 3 which are extended into the square head F, protruding below the bottom of the casing when the cap H is removed. The stop valve G closes upon a raised seat of the partition D around the opening in the partition in which the check valve seat F is removably secured.

The operation of my improved valve is as follows: The feed Water from the injector or pump passes through the feed pipe to the side inlet B of the valve casing A; the stem J is unscrewed by a wrench applied to the square head K until the stop valve G strikes against the lower side of L. The feed water in B will pass between the arms f f ff, Figs. 1 and 3, to the under side of the check valve E and if under sufficient pressure will raise the check valve from its seat, flow around the open stop valve G and through the outlet opening G into the boiler. In the form of valve shown in the drawings, the upward stroke or hit of the valve E is limited by striking the under side of the stop valve G, but any other effective means may be employed. If the check valve E does not return to its seat when the feed supply is stopped, and no other automatic i check is provided, water or steam will flow out of the boiler, seriously endangering the life and safety of the attendants, besides causing delay in the operation of the plant; to prevent this occurring the stem 1 is screwed down, closing the valve G to its seat upon the partition D, completely closing the opening in this partition between the side inlet opening B and the this specification, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view 1 outlet opening (3; during the operation the stop valve G forces the check valve E down close to its removable seat F and it is probable that the check valve will then operate properly, as it will be subjected to the full pressure of the boiler when the stop valve G is opened. If, however, the check valve or its removable seat is damaged, the stop valve G must be closed, preventing outflow from the boiler and permitting the removal of the cap H and the unscrewing of the removable seat F from the opening in the partition D, by applying a wrench to the square head F. The check valve E and its seat F may then be repaired and replaced, the former operations repeated in a reverse order, placing the improved valve in normal condition for use without removing the feed pipe connections or drawing the fires under the boiler, or even reducing the steam pressure, and with little or no delay in the working of the locomotive or steam plant. Further, it is possible to feed theboiler while the valve E and its seat F are removed for repair; when the cap H is replaced, a continuous passage to the boiler is obtained, controlled by the stop valve G; the pump or injector may be started, forcing the water into the feed pipe and the valve G then opened, permitting influx of water into the boiler. When the required supply is obtained, the feeding apparatus is stopped and the stop valve G is closed.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent; is,

1. A valve casing provided with a side inlet, an outlet, a partition separating the inlet and outlet, an opening opposite the inlet side of the partition, a cap removably secured to the casing and closing said opening, a valve seat separate from the cap and secured to the partition and removable from the inlet side thereof, a check valve seated upon the valve seat, a guiding head on the valve seat, a stem on the check valve guided on said head, and a stop valve seated upon the partition.

2. A valve casing provided with a side inlet and an outlet, a partition separating the inlet and outlet, a stop valve seated upon said partition, a valve seat secured to said partition and removable from the inlet side thereof, arms on the valve seat, a guiding head on the arms, a check valve seated upon the valve seat, the stem of the check valve being guided on said head, wings on the check valve within the valve seat and said arms, an opening in the casing opposite the inlet side of the partition, and a cap separate from the valve seat and removably secured to the casing and closing said opening.

STRICKLAND L. KNEASS. Witnesses JOHN L. PHILLIPS, E. R. HARPER. 

